Under Pressure:
Arts Project Australia

Imprint: What is the premise for this exhibition and how have you been working towards it?

YG: Arts Project Australia’s annual exhibition program is really distinct. It aims to present Arts Project Australia artists in a curated program that also places our artists work alongside other contemporary national and international artists.

Under Pressure is a group exhibition that opened on Saturday 10 February, and a lot of artists, their family and locals came to see their work. The show represents the broad spectrum of talents and interests of the Arts Project Australia printmakers and provides a unique opportunity to view the rich and varied output of the printmaking studio. Arts Project printmakers have been working towards the exhibition over the past year, developing their proofing and editioning skills in the process.

Imprint: What are some of the foundation ideas for the work in the exhibition, and what are visitors likely to experience?

YG: The adventurous and exploratory characteristics of the medium have allowed the artists to translate their personal interests and ideas in a creative way. Each artist approaches the process in a unique method and their interactions with the materials are fuelled by their urge to discover their method of image making.

Visitors will have the opportunity to explore a series of work by five key established and emerging printmakers: Lisa Reid, Chris O’Brien, Fiona Taylor, Michael Camakaris, and Bronwyn Hack, and a salon hang of framed and unframed prints by all APA Printmakers…and even some print sculptures.

Imprint: How was the work developed technically and what were some of the challenges involved?

YG: The artists begin by doing research around their particular area of interest. Then a printmaking process will be identified before creating the work. Intaglio and relief processes are currently available in the Arts Project Australia print studio and the artists in Under Pressure have utilised etching, engraving, collagraph, linocut, and monoprint processes to translate their ideas.

The main challenge is time: there are small windows of time each week for the artists to make the work. There are also limitations in terms of access to equipment and tools – the studio is a shared space so we need to be mindful of what else is happening creatively throughout the week. Saying that, the artists are able to achieve a lot each year.

Imprint: What future projects are you working on?

YG: The studio is a lively place on any given day. The artists exploring printmaking will continue to develop printing techniques and explore unique ways to approach the process. Each artist has a particular focus in his or her individual practice, and we are always on the lookout for works and series’ of works to exhibit, enter into art prizes or to show to collectors. So, at this stage, we’re not sure what’s next on the horizon. However, given the standard of work being produced that you can currently see on show in Under Pressure, I’m sure there will be many exciting opportunities ahead.

There is always the opportunity for the public to contact Arts Project Australia, make an appointment and come in to our beautiful gallery space in Northcote and view artist’s folios in person and in-depth. The gallery is free and open to the public six days a week.

www.artsproject.org.au